How to get toHollytrees Museumcar-free
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Visit Hollytrees Museum car-free
Travel a greener way for a special offer.
It’s easy to visit Hollytrees Museum car-free.
It’s conveniently located in Colchester city centre, alongside Colchester Castle and Natural History Museum.
- Trains run to Colchester from: Ipswich (20 mins), Chelmsford (20 mins), Norwich (55 mins) and
- London: Liverpool Street (50 mins), Stratford (55 mins) and Shenfield (35 mins).
Buses run to Colchester from: Braintree, Witham, and West Mersea (all 45 mins).
Check out our recommended route (below) for door-to-door train, bus and walking routes.
Discount: Free seed ball pack of flowers when you show a valid bus/train ticket or a bike helmet.
For money-saving tips see our handy guides to trains and buses or transport in Essex.
When you travel by train, a Colchester PlusBus ticket offers unlimited bus travel across the city.
Scenic railways, the Sunshine Coast Lines run to Colchester from Clacton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze. Try some kid’s activities on the journey.
Kids’ exhibits and events and can be found at each of the Colchester museums. The website has a ’50 Ways to Play’ challenge sheet and ‘Exploring Hollytrees Museum with your Pre School Child’ resource.
Cycle Path, National Route 1 runs past the museums. Plan your cycle route here – straight to the nearest bike rack outside the Castle Park gates by Museum Street. There are more racks along Colchester High Street, as well as secure bike parking a 5-10 minute walk away. Find out more about: bike hire, bikes on trains and cycle routes in Colchester.
Walk to and from the attractions, discovering Colchester at the same time. The Sculpture trail can start at Colchester train station or Colchester Town train station. It then covers Castle Park, the High Street and Queen Street. These locations are also included in the Hidden Colchester, Walk with Purpose and history trails, plus the family Roman Trivia, Heritage and audio trails. Even more trails introduce you to Castle Park. You could also start to read the trails on your journey, before arriving in Colchester fully prepared.
Explore the wider area on the Colne Valley Path or Essex Way.
Taxis usually wait at Colchester train station, but not Colchester Town train station. You could book ahead with: A2B – 01206 701 701 or Lucky 6 – 01206 666 666.
Find accessibility information for transport and Hollytrees Museum. The train stations Colchester and Colchester Town have step-free access.
Discover more offers and days out in Essex.
Get updated bus information with web or app or by texting the stop code (5-digit number on a sign above the timetable) to: 84268. For train information, text 84950.
Getting to Hollytrees Museum car-free
Here's our recommended route to Hollytrees Museum. To get bus and train times and walking routes use our journey planner.
By train to Colchester station
From most stations the train ride is shorter to Colchester than to Colchester Town, but the walk is longer. However, it’s a longer ride from Walton-on-the-Naze.
There are direct trains to Colchester from:
- London: Liverpool Street (50 mins), Stratford (55 mins), Shenfield (35 mins),
- East Anglia: Chelmsford (20 mins), Colchester Town (5 mins), Diss (40 mins), Ipswich (20 mins, for trains from Cambridge), Manningtree (10 mins), Marks Tey (5 mins), Norwich (55 mins), Stowmarket (30 mins), Witham (10 mins), Wivenhoe (10 mins),
- Sunshine Coast Line: Clacton-on-Sea (25 mins) and Walton-on-the-Naze (55 mins).
Search for train times and cheaper tickets with Good Journey.
To catch a bus, head to bus shelter F (cross Station Way at the lights). Most buses go to the High Street – check with the driver. The journey takes about 5 minutes. Find out more about buses in Colchester.
Alternatively, it’s about a 20-minute walk. Exit via Platform 4. The quickest route is to walk away from the station along Station Way, North Station Road and the High Street. You could also take a scenic detour at the Rotary Way steps, to go along the River Colne and through Castle Park.
By train to Colchester Town station
From most stations the train ride is longer to Colchester Town than to Colchester, but the walk is shorter. However, it’s a shorter ride from Walton-on-the-Naze.
There are direct trains to Colchester Town from:
- London: Liverpool Street (75 mins), Stratford (65 mins), Shenfield (50 mins),
- East Anglia: Chelmsford (40 mins), Colchester (5 mins), Marks Tey (20 mins), Witham (25 mins), Wivenhoe (10 mins),
- Sunshine Coast Line: Walton-on-the-Naze (40 mins).
Search for train times and cheaper tickets with Good Journey.
It’s then a 5-10 minute walk. Turn Right onto St Botolph’s Circus, then onto St Boltolph’s Street. Continue forward as the name changes to Queen Street.
By bus
There are direct buses to Colchester from:
- Braintree (45 mins) and Stanstead (105 mins) – airlink bus X20, regular
- Bury St Edmunds (2 hrs) and Sudbury (60 mins) – bus X43 and bus 43A, few
- Chelmsford (95 mins) and Witham (45 mins) – bus 71 and bus 371, both regular
- Clacton-on-Sea (60 mins) –Seasiders bus 74 and bus 76, both regular
- Harwich (75 mins) and Manningtree (35 mins) – bus 104, few
- Ipswich – (75 mins) – bus 93, few
- Walton-on-the-Naze (50 mins) – Seasider buses 105 and 107, regular
- West Mersea (30-45 mins) – various buses run regularly
- Coaches run from Ipswich (40 mins) and Stansted (45 mins).
Use our journey planner to find the best route for you.
About Hollytrees Museum
Enjoy 300 years of history in this beautiful Georgian townhouse through hands-on exhibits and displays. Discover what family life was life for the rich and the poor. Then be transported back to the days before washing machines to try out a dolly peg and dress up as a servant.
Explore Hollytrees in miniature through the dolls’ house or discover Bernard Mason’s fascinating collection of Colchester clocks. You can even learn all about the origins of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, loved the world over and written in Colchester.
For any queries about visiting contact Hollytrees Museum on 01206282937 or [email protected]
Address: Hollytrees Museum, Castle Park, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1UG. Visit Website